Depopulation of Papuans Becomes Obvious

Jayapura, Jubi – Human right activist Markus Haluk said the threat of Papuan population has became obvious. The population of indigenous Papuan begins to decrease while the number of non-Papua is drastically rising. It predicts the number of Papuan in 2030 would be 15% of total population in Papua comprising of 2,371,800 indigenous and 13,228,800 non-Papuans.

Haluk said the change was very visible in Dr. Jim Elmslies’ research of West Papua demographical change. The research indicated the population in Papua in 1971 was 923,000 which comprising 887,000 indigenous and 36,000 non-Papuans. In 1990, it extremely changed. The number of Papuans was 1,215,827 while non-Papuans were 414,210 of total 1,630,107.

Fifteen years later, in 2005, said Haluk, the number of Papuans and non-Papuans has become equal. Indigenous Papuans were 1,055,795 and non-Papuans are 1,087,694 of 2,646,489 of total population in Papua. In 2011, it became more surprising. The Papuans have become minorities on their own land. The number of indigenous was 1,700,000 compare with the number of non-Papuans that reached 1,980,000 of 3,680,000 of total population in Papua.

This change then predicted that the number of indigenous Papuan would become 1,956,400 while the population of non-Papuan would become 4,743,600 in 2020 of 6,700,000 of total population in Papua. The number would continue to improve in 2030, that is the number of Papuan would turn 2,371,200 and non-Papuan would become 13,228,800 of 15,600,000 of total population in Papua.

“The change of population number has extremely occurred though the number of birth was decreased. It was happening because none of leaders paying attention on this issue,” Haluk said in One-Day Seminar held by Foreign Affairs of Papua Central Highland Association of Indonesia (AMPTPI) and Student Executive Body of Jayapura Science and Technology University (BEM-USTJ) on Wednesday (29/7/2015).

Meanwhile Yulianus Mabel who participated in the seminar said this change has become obvious. Poor health services towards indigenous Papuans and rapid access of non-Papuans to entry to Papua were highly influenced this change. “I hope the government could pay attention on this changing instead to regard this as regular circumstance. The government is much care about their own business and its counterparts than paying attention to the threat of the existence of indigenous Papuan,” he said. (Mawel Benny/rom)

2) President Jokowi to have a guest house in Papua: Minister

Rabu, 29 Juli 2015 20:04 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) – A guest house will be built for Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in Papua to enable him to closely interact with the people in the countrys easternmost province, a minister stated.

"A special team is in the process of deciding the exact location for the guest house," Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno stated here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a seminar themed, "the Voice of Papua" here, he remarked that the guest house will be used by the head of state for work and also as a place that will make him feel closer to the people of Papua.

The request for the presidential guest house in Papua was originally put forth by the officials of the State Palace, taking into consideration that he could visit the province thrice or even four times a year, Tedjo affirmed.

"The guest house will not be like the Bogor Palace. It need not be luxurious. The most important aspect to build the guest house is that the president can get closer to the people, and they can easily meet him there," he affirmed.

When questioned about the presidents security, Tedjo explained that it will not be a problem as the Papuans love the head of state, and this was reflected by the high number of votes that he had received during the 2014 presidential election.

"Mr. President has frequently visited Papua and has got closer to the local people. He has never felt threatened during his visit in the province," he remarked.

The seminar on the Papuan issue was attended by former transportation minister Freddy Numberi and former Indonesian ambassador to the Philippines Johny Lumintang, among others.

(Reported by Michael Siahaan/Uu.R013/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
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3) Water an urgent need in Papua province
Updated at 1:37 pm on 30 July 2015
The Indonesian Red Cross Society says water is an urgent need for remote communities in the Papua region still suffering from a severe cold snap.
The society is delivering aid to the hard to reach Lanny Jaya district after hail storms and extreme cold weather left nine people dead and killed a large number livestock.
Thousands are in need of food and clean water as local sources are reportedly frozen or have been contaminated, and supplies of bottled water are unavailable in local markets.
Affected villages are nestled in high mountains, and delivering aid is a major challenge, with Red Cross volunteers having to walk for three days to deliver supplies.
So far 500 gallons of drinking water, as well as blankets and food have been delivered.
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4) Seven Points of Agreement to Resolve Tolikara Incident July 30, 2015tabloidjubi.com

Jayapura, Jubi – GIDI and Muslim communities at Tolikara agreed to resolve the last incident of 17 July 2015 at Karubaga, Tolikara Regency. Both sides also agreed to solve their problem alone without any intervention from others outside of Papua.

Facilitating by Inter-religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) on Wednesday (29/7/2015), both sides have agree on seven points as reference of conflict resolution due to incident. Applied as witnesses of this agreement are Nahdatul Ulama Papua Province, Kingmi Church Synod and Papua Civil Community Association.

Seven points of agreement are as following:

“Agreement Between Muslims and Christians of Karubaga, Tolikara Regency”

Today, on Wednesday of 29 July 2015, herewith the undersigned who are representing Muslim and Christian communities at Karubaga, Tolikara Regency stated their agreement that:

1.Incident that occurred on the celebration of Eid al-Fitr on Friday, 17 July 2015 in Tolikara Regency is not a religious conflict but only ‘miscommunication’ between both parties and we express our condolence at the lost of both life and goods.
2.We sincerely forgive each other.
3.We agree to go through the customary law in order to end the dispute and ask both parties to must end the legal process.
4.We agree to rebuild the Musholla (little mosque).
5.We agree to review this agreement regularly and maintain the peace and harmony between both parties.
6.We will mutually maintain, respect and appeal to the entire religious communities in Indonesia to keep respecting to both GIDI and Muslim communities to do prayer as usual.
7.We call on government to guarantee the freedom of religion and faith practice as well as the freedom to build the worship house.

The agreement is not only raised because of our anxiety, concern or fear but it was rooted in experience of peace and respectful between Christian and Muslim communities for decades at Karubaga, Tolikara Regency and our expectation of more peaceful and respectful life.